Secrets Revealed
by The Mouse Avenger
Summary: On a most hallowed day, some secrets are about to be revealed by Dawson & Ratigan. Read & review, please!


**SECRETS REVEALED**

AUTHOR'S NOTES: OK, for those of you who have read my second magnum opus "The Baker Street Family Chronicles", have you ever wondered if Mumtaz knew who accidentally killed her mother? And what about her big sister Yasmin? Does she know of her lover Ratigan's past? Well, this fanfic will answer both questions for you. Happy reading!

All GMD characters, especially Olivia, Basil, Fidget, Ratigan, & Dr. Dawson, belong to Disney. Mumtaz & Yasmin Muhammed are mine.

* * *

July 21, 1899. The sun was shining brightly, & not a cloud was showing. The birds dared not do their usual chirping in the blue sky, however, for they did not want to interrupt the special occasion that was taking place. You guessed right, it was Olivia Flaversham's birthday! The whole Baker Street Family, as well as Olivia's group of friends, were gathered around the table at Basil's house.

All around the dining room, colorful streamers & banners were hung up, & rainbow confetti was strewn out all over the floor. In the center of the table, there rested a single pink cake with rainbow icing, with multicolored candles burning on top. An icing-picture of a Rainbow Heart was by the birthday greeting, making the cake even more pleasing to the eye. As little Olivia closed her eyes & made a wish, everyone began to sing:

"_Happy birthday to you,  
__Happy birthday to you,  
__Happy birthday, dear Olivia,  
__Happy birthday to you!_"

With a blowing of the candles, everyone burst into cheers, before taking their servings of the cake & digging in.

"I can't believe it, Livvy!" Kim-Son said between munches of cake. "You're already 12 years old!"

"You must be real proud of yourself!" Cherise Migayo congratulated. "After all, you're almost a teenager!"

"I know, it's great!" Olivia said, after putting down her cake on the table to talk with her friends. "Someday, I'll be as old as Ratigan!"

"Hey, where _is _Ratigan?" Ben Flaherty asked, looking around with the other kids. "He never showed up!"

_I have a good idea where he is, though... _Olivia sighed & frowned a bit.

* * *

"It's the anniversary," 19-year-old Ratigan said to himself, as he lay upon his bed, looking up dismally at the ceiling. "The anniversary of my worst day ever..."

"Come on, Ratigan!" 17-year-old Fidget admonished, as he briefly looked up from playing his video game. "Everyone knows about dat day, & dey've moved on with it! You've been forgiven by da town! You became a great hero! You even became a knight, for Gosh sakes!"

"Fidget, it's not that!" Ratigan cried dramatically, gesturing wildly as he got up from his bed, dressed in his royal garb. "It's about Yasmin! My darling love Yasmin! She doesn't have the slightest clue about my dark & sinister past, & today's the day she'll find out, due to the ever-so-convenient talk of the town!"

"Ratigan," Fidget said, putting down his video game, "you gotta stop blaming yourself for what happened. You didn't mean to try & kill da Queen, Mouses made you do it! You shoulda figured dat out by now! And so what if Yasmin finds out? It won't be da end of da world!"

Sitting down & sighing, Ratigan lamented, "It will be, Fidget. I've kept my past a secret for a long time, & I don't know how much longer I can keep it hidden! And Yasmin doesn't know the truth about me! If she finds out about my past...God, I shudder to think what will happen if she discovers it!"

"Buddy," Fidget said gently, as he placed a webbed hand on his friend's shoulder, "someday or other, you're gonna have to tell her. You can't go on hiding dis big secret! One day, Yasmin's gonna have to know da truth, but I'm sure she'll still love you, even after all you've done. After all, I would never, ever lie to you, Ratigan! Trust me."

After a long silence, Ratigan finally smiled at his batty friend. "Thanks, Fidget," he said, before musing, "Now just when to tell her..."

"Whoa!" Fidget gasped, astounded. "I thought you were gonna argue with me over why you weren't gonna do it!"

"Fidget, you know me," Ratigan replied with a coy smile. "I've always been one to make quick decisions." Getting up & taking his friend by the wing down to the dining room, he added, "Now, Fidget, before I tell Yasmin, I need you to properly set things up for her..."

* * *

Meanwhile, downstairs, the party was going on quite well. All the children, those of the Baker Street Family & otherwise, were having a good time, playing with the party favors, checking out Olivia's presents, & exploring the mega-playroom, as the grownups chatted merrily amongst themselves.

In a corner of the playroom, 17-year-old Yasmin Muhammed watched on lovingly as her little sister Mumtaz & Olivia played with Rainbow Toys together. Yet although Olivia appeared to be quite cheerful as she played, Mumtaz looked forlorn & gloomy. Small tears could be seen coming out of her eyes.

Olivia was the first to notice her friend's depressed condition. "Mumtaz," she asked in concern, "what's wrong?"

Mumtaz, now realizing that Olivia had seen her tears, attempted vainly to dry them away, as she replied softly, "It's nothing, Olivia. I just remembered this...really sad movie."

"Mumtaz, I know that's not the truth," Olivia gently reprimanded, going over to her friend & placing a paw on her shoulder. "You can tell me anything! I promise I won't tell anyone about your secret..."

Mumtaz sobbed a bit, before she finally spoke: "It's the anniversary of my mother's death."

"Oh, Mumtaz, I totally forgot!" Olivia gasped. "I'm so sorry..." Mumtaz immediately began to cry, as she said, "It's only been two years...& I miss her so much!"

"It's OK, Mumtaz," Olivia said comfortingly. "I understand..."

"No!" Mumtaz suddenly shrieked, pulling away from her friend. "No, you don't understand!" With that, she ran off, still sobbing. Unbeknownst to Mumtaz, Dr. Dawson & Basil had watched her dash into the treehouse, where she could still be heard sniffling & crying.

"I say, Basil," Dawson finally said, "what's wrong with Mumtaz?"

"In case you've forgotten, old fellow," Basil replied remorsefully, "it's the 2nd anniversary of her mother's death."

"Oh, don't remind me!" Dawson lamented, taking a swig of birthday punch as though it were alcohol. "I have enough on my mind, Basil!"

It was then that Basil suddenly realized something. Every time he brought up Mumtaz or the Muhammeds, Dawson seemed to go into a deep state of oblivion, ever thinking as he ignored the detective's own words. Might he have something to do with Mumtaz's mother's death? It all seemed perfectly logical.

But Basil was not going to approach this in a rushed manner. These things took time. Dawson would have to be in a proper mood for these kinds of discussions. Carefully, Basil gently lifted the old mouse's face until his eyes met his. Basil had peepers that were most intense, & known for a piercing stare; but today, as he looked deeply into Dawson's own eyes, his glazzies appeared to give off a hypnotic stare. Dawson couldn't help but fall into a trance, as one often did while staring at the detective in such a manner.

"Now," Basil said calmly, "pray tell, Dawson...what have you been hiding from me all these months?"

Dawson was just about to answer, but suddenly, the sound of Mumtaz crying brought him out of his trance. Getting out of his chair & adjusting his coat & cap, Dawson stuttered nervously, "I-I-I-I-I think I better see Mumtaz now. Poor thing, she must be so upset!"

As Dawson rushed past the confused party guests, Yasmin stared up in concern at the treehouse with her little sister in it. Suddenly, she jumped around & gasped, as a strange bat figure with a peg-leg & a scarf came towards her. "Oh," Yasmin breathed in relief, "it's just you, Fidget."

"Um...Yasmin..." Fidget coughed a bit, then took off his cap & placed it on his chest, as he said, "Ratigan would like to have a word with you."

"What's going on, dear?" Yasmin asked worriedly, as her lover came towards her.

Ratigan gazed deeply into Yasmin's eyes, before clearing his throat, & taking her paw in his gloved hands as he said solemnly, "Yasmin...darling...there's something very important I have to tell you. What you're about to hear, you may not be able to handle."

"I can take anything you can dish out!" Yasmin said confidently.

"Well, OK..." Ratigan gulped, before continuing: "Yasmin...two years ago today, I did a most horrible deed. I kidnapped Hiram Flaversham, & later Olivia. I tried to kill Basil & take over Mouse London by attempting to kill Queen Mousetoria. I even threatened to kill Olivia if Hiram didn't make that robot, &..." The hurt look in Yasmin's eyes was his only reply. His heart slowly breaking, Ratigan sighed, before lamenting, "All right, Yasmin, I know what you're thinking. You think that I'm some kind of a monstrous beast, with a heart of stone."

"Not at all," Yasmin said, now smiling. "On the contrary, I think you're honest & truthful. I like that in a rat." The two rodents closed their eyes, & kissed. As his lips met with Yasmin's, Ratigan felt deeply satisfied...satisfied that Yasmin could love him, no matter what he did.

* * *

In the treehouse, meanwhile, Mumtaz was still crying. Suddenly, her ears perked up to the sound of creaking wood & heavy grunting for effort. "Mumtaz, dear, open up, please!" a familiar voice called out. Immediately, Mumtaz went over, & lifted the door, making room for Dr. Dawson to get into the treehouse & sit down beside his little friend.

"Eh, Mumtaz," the good doctor began rather nervously, "I couldn't help but overhear from Basil that today is the 2nd anniversary of the day your mother was killed."

"How did you know my mother was killed?" Mumtaz asked, trying to dry her tears once more.

Dawson sighed. He knew this wasn't going to be easy at all. "Mumtaz, dear...I'm most afraid I have a confession to make." Mumtaz looked up at Dawson in concern, & the doctor finally told his secret: "I was fighting in Afghanistan around the time you were trying to escape from the war. While searching for my comrades in the desert, I mistook your family for bandits. One of them reached out to me, & I shot her, thinking it was an attack on my life. Until a few days after the incident, I had no idea that was your mother, Mumtaz...I'm deeply sorry. I wish there was a way I could turn back time & undo what I had done. Oh, how I wish..."

Mumtaz could only stare at Dawson in shock for what seemed like an eternity. So many thoughts were racing through her mind...so many emotions. Mainly confusion. She simply could not believe that one of the mice she trusted most was responsible for tearing her family apart.

Bursting into fresh tears once more, Mumtaz hugged Dawson tightly. The good doctor could only hug her back & whisper words of comfort, trying his best to console her.

* * *

The sun was now beginning to sink in the sky, painting brilliant hues of pink, orange, & purple in the atmosphere & over the clouds. The party was over, & everyone had gone home.

Well, almost everyone. Mumtaz was still there, standing alone by the edge of Olivia's swimming pool. As she gazed into its crystal blue waters, she felt her hot tears dropping into the cool pool like raindrops. When the water had rippled, however, Mumtaz gasped. For a moment, she could have sworn her reflection turned into that of her mother. It was a most peculiar sight, but also a comforting one. For as long as she could still imagine her mother's smiling face, she would always be with her. And not even the great clockworks of fate could change that.

THE END


End file.
